Look out below!
Log Title: Look out below! Characters: Starscream, Snoop, Ultra Magnus, Perceptor, Metroplex, Nighthawk, Spike Location: Outside of Autobot City Year: 2007 TP: IMORTAL TP Category:IMORTAL TP As Logged by Snoop; looks to be 11 November 2007. Outside of Autobot City Starscream screeches down making it obvious where he gets his name, hurtling at near enough to Mach 3 in a direct nose-dive from low orbit with a bead on Metroplex's last assured location, the self-proclaimed Lord of the Skies issues a broad radio message on Autobot frequencies. Starscream sends a radio transmission. Metroplex receives a radio transmission. Starscream peers down at Snoop. Snoop looks up with widening optics Starscream's dive moves into a defensive spin, as he enters Metroplex's optimal firing range. A loud scream echoing over the air and radio frequencies. "Hold your fire!" Snoop looks around for a place to hide, but only sees sand. She tries to dig a little hole and bury herself. Snoop is suddenly mucho confused *blink* Stormwind says, "hwo" Stormwind margs. Snoop has never seen a Decepticon before, much less been dive-bombed by one. hehe Within a matter of seconds, Starscream flips forward, his jetplane exterior transforming into robot form, anti-gravs overcoming startling inertial forces and bringing him to a screeching halt a matter of feet above the earth, onto which he settles rather casually. Glowing red optics sweep across the open desert, spying the digging Snoop. "Autobot!" his shrill voice declares, pointing with an outstretched blue digit. Ultra Magnus strides into the area confidently. Ultra Magnus has arrived. Snoop stopps digging and looks way, way up at the giant robot. She looks around a herself, then says "Yeah?" :The F-15's body expands, wings flipping over. The fuselage unfolds into arms, allowing the nose to fold in to fill the gap. A head appears between the two intakes, completing Starscream's transformation. Snoop tilts her head to one side watching. "Oooh. You move stuff like me and Blaster!" Starscream stalks toward Snoop with the kind of expression that's been the last thing a thousand and maybe more Autobots have ever seen over the millenia of war. But Starscream's lasers, fixed as they are to his arms are not leveled on the dimunitive robot. "Contact Optimus Prime, tell him Starscream wants to talk." Perceptor has arrived. Snoop takes a step back and fumbles with her little radio knowledge. She brings up the manual on her HUD and tries to send a message. <> Snoop says, "Opmis Prime? Uhm. *click click* Big bot Startscream here in snand with me and wants to talk." Snoop waits a moment and looks up. "He not answer." Metroplex has connected. Starscream folds his arms over the engine intakes that lay either side of the cockpit. His foot taps. <> Snoop says, "Um, Opmis Prime? Or Blaster? or anybody?" Snoop tries to radio again and slinks down into the sand a bit Harsh metallic footfalls boom across the desert, resonating out from the walls of Autobot City. The sound grows louder as the huge form of Ultra Magnus marches out the front gates and down the ramp. He has his rifle in hand and a stern frown creases his brow. <> XO Ultra Magnus says, "I'm on my way, Snoop." <> Perceptor says, "Did you radio that Starscream has set down in the desert and requests an audience?" "Nevermind..." Starscream lets Snoop off of the hook, turning to face Ultra Magnus and waiting patiently for the even bigger robot to arrive. <> Snoop says, "'kay. Yah. Startscream here in snand with me. He's big like everybody else!" <> Perceptor says, "Will you, uh...be...requiring further administrative assistance, Ultra Magnus?"" Snoop watches as Starscream's attention shifts, then scampers over near the city's ramp, trying to not get squashed by a giant foot or two. Ultra Magnus fixates on Starscream, clearly not happy to see him. He marches right up to him, making sure to impress the difference in their heights by looking down at the Air Commander. "This better be good, Starscream." Perceptor pokes his head out of Metroplex. Decepticons within weapons range of Metroplex is usually a bad thing, particularly when those weapons aren't bombarding them. He sees no weapons fire and so steps out, watching from a distance from the top of the ramp. Metroplex, well, sits there. What else does he do in city mode, after all? "As if I would sully myself with 'your' presence if it wasn't critical, Ultra Magnus..." Starscream sneers as he reaches for a panel in his gauntlet. The seeker does not seem overly concerned with the considerable difference in stature as he pulls from within a fragile data-cylinder. "Where's Prime, or does he only roll out for Megatron these days?" Nighthawk approaches at 20000 feet from a last minute patrol, beginning his ascent as he drops down towards AC Ultra Magnus smirks lightly. "Sorry, I'm afraid you don't rate Optimus' personal attention. Frankly, I don't have time for you either. You have five astro-seconds to start explaining why you're here." "Oh?" Starscream smirks in that condescending manner that he is truly the undisputed master of. "Well I suppose I'll take my technical data on IMORTAL's weapon systems and leave you to fend off the fanatics on your own, shall I? Really Ultra Magnus, I took you for a tactician" Ultra Magnus frowns, tightening his grip on the rifle at his side. "How surprisingly generous of you, Starscream. What's the catch?" Perceptor adjusts the scope on his shoulder, his visor dropping down into place. He zooms in on the activity out in the desert to observe... <> XO Ultra Magnus says, "Metroplex, warm up the maser cannons." "No catch." Starscream grins. Like hell there isn't. "You're going to come to blows with them sooner or later, you and I both know that fanatics don't stop when you give them what they want. One way or another, it'll happen. And when it does, it is in my interests to see that the Autobots come out on top. I give you this, and the Decepticons might even come to your aid when the time is right." he continues to toy with the cylinder. "Perceptor would undoubtedly understand more of it, but in layman's terms, for your benefit; IMORTAL employ subspace window generators in their missile's warheads. They open to as an yet unknown location permeated with an unusually dense distribution of dark matter. The resulting gravimetric distortion pulls objects in. The technology is far beyond human science, which means either IMORTAL found it, or they were given it...and we both know who the galaxy's principle arms traders are, don't we?" <> LtCmdr Metroplex says, "Acknowledged." Snoop looks up and watches the verbal volleying, trying to figure out why the big robots don't seem to be getting along. <> Perceptor says, "Fascinating..." Ultra Magnus allows himself a wry smirk as he listens to Starscream's explanation. "Well, it's good to hear you're looking out for us," he deadpans. He holds out his free hand for the device. "I'll have Peceptor look it over..." Snoop circles around so she's standing between the bots and looks up. Hardly. I'd just as soon see you reduced to the scrap metal you were built from, but in war we don't always have the luxuries of terminating all of our enemies at once. And just to ensure you remember that, the data is protected. Input the wrong code, and it's gone. I'll transmit the code when I'm safely out of the range of your fortress' weapons." he's about to hand over the cylinder when he stops. "Of course, I have your word of honour, as a soldier, that the Autobots will share anything discovered?" Snoop sees movement above, and decides it's time to get outta Dodge. She hops back towards the city's ramp. "No deal." Magnus frowns, lowering his hand. "While we don't know everything about IMORTAL's motivations, we will be seeking a peaceful resolution with them if at all possible." His optics narrow slightly. "We both know what you've got planned if you could figure out how to negate their weapons." "Hah! You think you can make peace with these humans?" Starscream can't help but sneer. But then he likes sneering. "You're too much Ultra Magnus. You of all the Autobots should know the value of having your enemy by the electrodes when you want to talk peace. I'm so certain they'll attack you, I'll modify my offer. The Autobots share what they discover with me, when and.." he pauses to chuckle. "..if, they initiate hostilities. A direct assault on Trypticon forced us from the planet. You are not going to be able to overwhelm them without the aid of the Decepticons. Without this?" he tosses the cylinder into the air before catching it again. "What I've told you is worthless." Ultra Magnus shakes his head, showing a hint of pity for Starscream. "I doubt it will come to that. They've made every effort to come to a non-violent resolution with us. We intend to honor our agreement, and continue to fight for a peaceful co-existence." He takes a step back, raising his rifle. "And in the interest of your continued peaceful co-existance, I'll give you some advice. The Autobots are still committed to protecting all sentient life, even IMORTAL troops. I'm certain you're itching to get back at them over the embarrassing defeat they handed you..." He pauses for a moment. "...twice now." He pauses again, letting that stew a little. "But even if you do find a way around their weapons, don't expect me to sit idle while you butcher them. Secondly, I'll give one last warning about showing up at this city unannounced and uninvited. Next time you will be getting a very warm reception." He rifle hums slightly as he flicks off the safety... but he quickly lets it drop back to his side and turns to walk away. "Metroplex, show our guest out." Spike has arrived. The datacylinder falls to the floor, where a high pitched sound and a flash of light from Starscream's nullray destroys it, scorching the earth beneath. "Have it your way, Autobot. Good luck, you're going to need it." with that his jets fire, blasting him skyward as he flips forward, transforming. Ultra Magnus radios for Metro to make the first shot just a warning. :Starscream leaps into the air, legs collapsing as stabilizers slide out. His head disappears as the center of his chest swings upward into the nose of an F-15. His wings flip over as his arms fold into the chest cavity, completing the shift into his jet form. >> Starscream retreats from the area, leaving himself open to Spike. << Starscream laughs. Ultra Magnus says, "GET HIM SPIKE!" Starscream prods Metro. "Slowpoke." Spike flexes his muscles. Spike walks up to Starscream "Is there a problem?" Starscream stands on Spike. "Ewwww, I got human on my foot." Spike runs out from Metroplex to see what the fuss is about.